OMNI's upcoming engine rebuild

[Reeves]

I'm freshening up the motor in the OMNI after many years of abuse. I'm having a hard time deciding what to do on a few things.....

Rods:
Currently it has stock TII rods that have been beam polished and shot peened and ARP Wav-Loc's installed. They seem to be working fine. I'm leaning towards just using them some more.

I have had in storage for quit some time now a set of GRP aluminum rods. They are really f'n sweet. I haven't heard anyone having any major problems out of them, but I worry about stretch/shrinkage or longevity. They may be fine and help me pick up a little top end HP.

I also thought about some slightly lighter Eagle rods or some sort of H-beams.

Crank:
Currently is has a bone stock 2.5L crank that has been balanced with the flywheel. It has been fine this long, and I'm leaning on using it again.

I have had in storage for quit some time now a stock 2.5L crank that has been *slightly* knife edged on the leading edges of the counter weights and slightly *smoothed* and then balanced with a fresh flywheel. May pick up a little HP?

Mains:
Currently has stock 2 bolts.

Thinking about adding the 4 bolts to the old block.

Flywheel:
Currently has a stock flywheel that was balanced with the crank.

I have had in storage for quit some time now a Fidanza aluminum flywheel.
I planned on using it last year as an experiment, but never got around to it. I was hoping to kill some of my launch torque and pick up some HP on the big end. I plan on going with a 3.05 FD this year, and think the aluminum flywheel will now be overkill.

[contraption22]

I don't trust aluminum rods anymore.

[Reeves]

I don't trust aluminum rods anymore.

Reason?

[contraption22]

I've had two friends have catostrphic engine failures due to aluminum rod failure. They have a finite lifespan. One was Brian Slowe. The other was my friend Doug who's '58 Vette ended up on it's roof when his rods failed.

[turbovanman²]

Go with the Eagles or TU rods, agreed don't use the aluminium rods, not intended for daily use.

I would use the knife edge crank.

I would talk to Aaron about the 4 bolt mains, probably not a bad idea but if your bearings etc look good now, maybe its not needed?

I wouldn't use the lightened flywheel, I bet it will be harder to launch as you'll need to launch on higher rpm to avoid it bogging. Maybe the turbo helps offset that???

[Shadow]

Hard to change something that's not broke! Your combo seems to be working well for you, I can understand not wanting to change.....too much. Interesting that Rob had such good luck with his aluminum rod 2.4. I was also going to run aluminum rods, but I've since turned away from them. The Charger is always going to be 90% street car/ 10% race car, so unless that were to change I'm sticking with steel. I'd throw in that knife edged crank (can't hurt) I've deff been doing the 4 bolt main debate. Deff going to build a mtr with those one day. Really interested to see how 3.05's work out for you. I almooosssst ran an aluminum flywheel last year. Was a toss up between an al flywheel and see if I could still run the 24's or just bolt on the 26's. You can guess who won that contest. I'm still very interested to see how one of our high HP cars would react to a really good twin disc/al flywheel (super light weight) set-up. Going to have to check that out some day as well. I would deff concider a really good set of (lighter than stock) forged steel rods. I know it seems like a waste when your not having problems with the stockers, but really, how much more can these rods take! BTW what are your goals for the new mtr? Running around the same HP/TQ (give or take 10) or uping the power 20-50 HP/TQ? That would answer wether I'd change up the rods or not.

[2.216VTurbo]

If you put the Aluminum rods in there will we not be able to go for little rides on the street anymore? If so, I'd so NEVER put those rods in there

As far as the Fidanza, I'd like to see how it works for you, if you like it you would be the first guy with a 400+WHP car that did that I know of. I've got no love for those things for a high HP car anymore If you don't like the way it works, then it would be a unanimous vote and I'll swear to the ends of the earth to anyone who asks that they are only good for mild/mid HP cars.

As far as the 4 bolts go, what do the main bearings look like? Are they wearing nicely or chewing up the #3? Last tear down I did the mains looked so good after 6K miles I just left them and did only the rods. Have the crank shop check it for strait, less then .001-.002 it's doing fine IMO...

[BadAssPerformance]

Aluninum rods have stretching issues in a 1400hp alcohol pro mod motor... not in a 500hp 4 banger?

[turbovanman²]

Aluninum rods have stretching issues in a 1400hp alcohol pro mod motor... not in a 500hp 4 banger?

Whats "aluninum"?

I still don't believe aluminum rods should be in a street engine.

[BadAssPerformance]

Sorry, I kant tyep or speel...

I'll let you know how they do

[turbovanman²]

Sorry, I kant tyep or speel...

I'll let you know how they do

Hahhaa, just buggin,

My, my, you like to ventilate blocks, don't you?

[gasketmaster]

At the very minimum I would replace the connecting rods with a refurbished set like you are currently running because the rods in your engine have a bunch of really hard work cycles on them

If its a race car that gets a few bursts on the street the aluminum rods are fine but if it see's a bit of street driving I'd get a nice set of steel rods. Top fuel engines use aluminum rods......they are very strong and tend to dampen the shock load on the crank,bearings and main webbing. They need to be serviced more than steel rods obviously. If you don't service them.....they'll come out on their own

The worked over crank sounds good as long as the work was done well.

Are you getting cap walk now?

[8valves]

I loved my aluminum flywheel. It was one of my favorite things I ever did with my car. Especially with Reeves having a stutter funciton on the launch. Just make it more agressive and you shouldn't have a problem in the world.

Keep in mind Alan that you not only dropped massive weight from the flywheel, but the clutch as well, and moved the mass in closer to the center with the smaller discs. That's a major difference to a heavy single plate setup. You got the double whammy effect!

[GLHSKEN]

And Reeves 2.5 makes WAY more torque than the chassis can handle currently.... For Rods, I would go with the K1's... H beam 100 grams lighter than stock...

[2.216VTurbo]

I loved my aluminum flywheel. It was one of my favorite things I ever did with my car. Especially with Reeves having a stutter funciton on the launch. Just make it more agressive and you shouldn't have a problem in the world.

Keep in mind Alan that you not only dropped massive weight from the flywheel, but the clutch as well, and moved the mass in closer to the center with the smaller discs. That's a major difference to a heavy single plate setup. You got the double whammy effect!

That Tilton set up is using a Steel flywheel and becuse I knew the weight was gonna drop a bunch with the teeny little Tilton, I asked them to make that flywheel 'as heavy as he could'. He did and even added an 'inertia ring' to the outside edge of the back. Still the entire set up lost 9lbs over an iron/4puck/yellow plate set up. What I *really* hated was the Aluminum/RevLock it replaced. Get this, a local guy had slippage with his 4 puck/Fidanza Aluminum set up on his very well built 2.5/GT30 8V motor. He pullled the flywheel out, bead blasted the pp/disc, reinstalled with an Iron flywheel and it's never slipped again.

The K1 rods do make the motor very zippy And they have survived dozens of miles/laps at 7800 RPMS

[GLHNSLHT2]

The K1 rods do make the motor very zippy And they have survived dozens of miles/laps at 7800 RPMS

Oh great, if K1 rods make the motor zippy I only fear what Ti rods are gonna do...... Gonna be wacking the rev limiter a lot I fear.

[badandy]

Aluninum rods have stretching issues in a 1400hp alcohol pro mod motor... not in a 500hp 4 banger?

Tell that to Brian Slowe

[badandy]

With most of us having staging limiters (Brian Bucar and I talked about this very thing many months ago) what is the downside to launching with an aluminum flywheel?...if it bogs just step up the RPM some. I could see if someone actually had too big of a slick under the car because you need that momentum...but I really fail to see the downfall anymore.

[Reeves]

This thread is going no where fast!

About the only thing we have agreed on is using the knife edged crank....

[contraption22]

This thread is going no where fast!

About the only thing we have agreed on is using the knife edged crank....

And not using aluminum rods......